


REAL

by AkaiRen



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chaptered, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 20:26:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9920972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkaiRen/pseuds/AkaiRen
Summary: Ohno has been in relationship for two years but there’s still a part of him that still hold onto his past. Just when he wanted to let it go, the past came back to haunt him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is fiction — ** _pure imagination_**. I do not gain any profit for writing this fiction and I do not own the characters they belong to themselves.

_He suddenly awake, sweating and confused. It took minutes before the man realized he was lying in his own bed. He couldn’t remember the dream clearly but the dread feeling lingered._

_“Another nightmare?”_

_He turned abruptly to his side. There was someone lying beside him, the room was dim, he could see the contour of the face but could not recognize it, not until the young boy moved closer to him._

_“Sho-kun?” Ohno asked hesitantly._

_“Yes, it’s me niisan.” The latter flashed him a smile before raised his hand, wiping away the tears that Ohno didn’t realize sliding from his eyes._

_Ohno hugged him tightly before touching every parts of Sho he could reach, just to make sure that he was really there. Sho let Ohno did it he then took Ohno’s face between his two hands to make the older man looked at him._

_“It’s okay, it’s just a dream and I’m here now.” He said soothingly._

_Ohno became relaxed at the words but still didn’t want to let go of Sho’s hand. He was afraid that the boy would disappear. Sho knew what was on Ohno’s mind so he pulled him down with him until they were lying on the bed face to face. Ohno’s eyes already dripping down because of tiredness but he fought to keep it opened, trying to focus it on Sho._

_“Sleep niisan.” It was a command but Ohno was stubborn, he pouted and shook his head. Sho missed this, he missed Ohno too much and he missed how stubborn the older man. The way he pouted when something didn’t go like what he wanted and he missed his sleepy eyes. Now he was here, he would not let Ohno go._

_He shifted closer to Ohno, dropped a feather like kiss to his forehead before said the same thing. “Sleep, I’m not going anywhere.”_

 

*****

The next time, Ohno woke up in normal way. The sun already found its own path to the room, he was lying alone but the space beside him clearly showed that someone had occupied it last night. He stared at the ceiling trying to recall the dream he had hours ago but nothing came to his memory. He still felt afraid of something he could not even phantom.

When Ohno went out, Sho was in the kitchen, he was in the middle of preparing breakfast for both of them. The latter already changed into simple t-shirt and trunk topped by an apron. The older man felt strange at the sight of it; It was somehow refreshing to see Sho made breakfast in the kitchen.

Ohno felt the urge to hold the boy so he let his body did what it felt right. He wrapped his arms around Sho’s slim waist while resting his chin as comfortable as he could on his sloppy shoulder, Sho was not surprise at the sudden movement.

“Morning.” Ohno said with raspy voice.

“Morning niisan.” Sho said nonchalantly.

They stayed like that as Ohno watched the younger boy stirring the miso soup, nuzzling his temple and breathing a warm air into his neck. He missed Sho so much like it had been a long time, a very long time since they got this close. Ohno felt his chest tightened he was afraid that this moment would slip and fade away. Even thought the boy finally here, trapped in his arm, the sad feeling keep haunting him, made him buried his face to the sloppy shoulder, unconsciously hardened his hold.

“Didn’t I say it is okay?” Sho said, turning his body to face Ohno. The younger cupped his cheeks making Ohno looked at his brown eyes. Ohno could not look away from them, to put it simply, he was captivated. “You are thinking too much.” It’s like he could read his mind without Ohno had to voice it out.

“You left me once.” Ohno’s voice merely a whisper.

Sho leaned to press his lips on Ohno’s coaxing him in slow and gently kiss. Funny that it used to be Ohno who comforting Sho whenever he felt down, whenever something went out wrong or whenever Sho felt insecure. But now, Ohno was the one who felt insecure about their relationship, about Sho’s presence.

“I’m not going anywhere niisan,” Ohno was panting when they separated while Sho’s gazed was not even wavering, not a bit, assuring him that his words were true. Ohno leaned to claim another kiss this time more passionate than before. The painter missed Sho’s red plump lips against him, even after a long time it still felt the same.

“As long as you want me here i’m staying with you.”

Later, they settled in Ohno’s big sofa, breakfast was long forgotten. Ohno was not even hungry anymore. He didn’t feel it from the beginning. He just wanted to spend every second of the day together with Sho.

“Remember when the first time I confessed to you?” Sho asked breaking the silence. Their limbs entangled comfortably.

“Yeah, I was totally annoyed.”

Ohno was lying on his back while Sho resting his head on the older man chest, their fingers entwined, Ohno’s free hand was playing with the strand of Sho’s soft blonde hair.

Sho chuckled. “You were, saying that it should be you who confessed to me not the opposite.”

“It’s me who fall in love with you first. From the first time I saw you wrapped in that maroon blanket.” He argued.

“You said that but you were just 2 years old that time how come you fall in love with a baby.”

Both of them chuckled at the thought.

“You’re not supposed to remember anything around that age.” Sho added thoughtfully.

“But I do, okaasan keep telling me about how we went to visit you and your mom. Somehow the image of that day stuck in my head.”

Sho shifted so now he could look at Ohno. The painter brought their entwined hands between them so they could see it.

“Your hands are way smaller than now, it’s pink and small,” Ohno loosen his grip on Sho’s hand, opened his palm then pressed it to Sho’s opened one. His fingers were a little bit longer than Sho’s. “When I touched your small hand you immediately clutched my finger, you were clutched it tightly.”

Ohno smiled at the memory, it was indeed strange that he could remember it clearly like the event just happened not long time ago.

“That’s how I fall in love with you.”

Sho could not hold a laugh.

“You are sappy old man. How come you fall in love just because I clutched your finger?”

“But I do.” Ohno bring their joined hand to his lips, kissing every knuckle softly.

Sho pushed his self up until he was face to face with his boyfriend.

“Why did you tell me this now?”

“Because I never got the chance, I am so stupid and egoist, and also because you are suddenly gone.”

There was a hint of sadness in his eyes that made Sho leaned closer to Ohno, the latter looked at him with eyes almost crossed because of the closeness. Sho kept leaning until their lips touching in another slow and comforting kiss, Ohno’s hands went to rest on his blade pulling Sho’s closer to him.

“Let’s go on date tomorrow.” Sho said between their kiss.

Ohno tilted his head as if considering the idea. Their lips still close that it brushed Sho’s when he did it. “Sure. Let’s go on date every day.” He replied happily.

“I want to hear more about your sappy story.” Sho said.

The past days had been the happiest for Ohno, spent every single day with Sho without worrying about work or another matter. They had been going on date for many times already. The first date they spent by camping outside the city enjoying the beautiful night, watching as the stars scattered in every corner of the dark sky. Something that could not be afford by living in the city.

The second date they went to art museum, spent hours in there. They were not really talking to each other since Ohno was too immersed in his own world, exploring and enjoying all the pieces of arts. But he could feel Sho squeezing their entwined hand every time and then, whenever he saw an interesting paint or sculpture, only talking in a whisper for asking or explaining stuff to each other.

The third day they went to watch movie together, not just one but three movies in the row, then they wandering around the city, walking aimlessly in the park. On the fourth day they went to the zoo and aquarium spent almost half of day lost in aquarium. The thing that Ohno loved about their dates was Sho never complained about the place he chose. How he always enjoyed it despite the lack of communication they had, most of people may already bored with Ohno but not Sho. Ohno hoped that just like him Sho enjoyed spending time by simply being there for each other.

 

*****

_“Ohchan...”_

_They were panting, lips tingling from the passionate kiss, the younger man sighed deliciously pressing his body closer to him, as if trying to mold them into one piece. He was sitting in the sofa half naked with the man sprawled on his lap, shirt fully opened. The room was dim with only the lamp on the table lit. He could feel the man’s hands resting on his shoulder, while his own hands settled on his hips to make sure he was safe on his lap. Their skin was touching, brushing every time they made a move. He felt hot, the room was actually cool enough with the air condition was running, but when his finger slipping under his shirt roaming on his back, the younger man arching his body closer sharing his own heat with him._

_His fingers were tracing every inch of his smooth skin, from his lower back slowly up to shoulder, down to his sides, touching the flat belly feeling every muscle moved under his fingertips, remembering every curve of the body. The man giggling sheepishly on his ear feeling ticklish by his touch, his own heart fluttering at the sound of his giggled, feeling happy as the man lips touching, ghosting on his neck. His warm breath on his ear while whispering his name._

_Ohno’s hands moved to cup the small face, thumbing his already swollen lips, not failed to notice the small mole on his chin nipping it softly before moving to his jaw line, then to his neck slowly down to his prominent collarbone. He loved when the small man gasped, whimpered at his touch asking him for more, a certain feeling slipping to his heart made his inside warm but also aching for unknown reason. He distinguished the warm feeling as love, the love he felt for the slender man who trapped in his embrace and he knew the man loved him the same, even more._

_“Ohchan..” His voice was ringing beautifully in his ear, Ohno wanted to hear the melody again and again, he was sure that he would never get tired of it. He looked up to meet the dark brown eyes, deep and alluring staring down at him. “It’s okay,” The already swollen lips formed a lovely smile. “No matter what, I Lo—_

Ohno opened his eyes abruptly; a loud sound from outside the room effectively pulled him out from his slumber. He grumpily got up from the sofa rubbing the sleepiness away from his eyes, walking to the opened window of his room to check out the source of the problem. He watched as the man who had been living across his apartment shouted loudly to some boys who broke one of his windows. There was a truck stopped in front of the boys with the driver also shouted angrily at them, which must be another reason he was awake.

Ohno was in a room full of painting that organized in a neat line around the room. It was his old studio. There was a blank canvas put in a stand, beside it there was a small table with a sketch book, pencils and a palette filled with red, yellow, blue, green and purple paint. He took the palette then sat in front of the canvas, it felt strangely nostalgic. Ohno wondered why lately he felt every single thing nostalgic, it was like it had been a long time since he did it.

The white canvas was calling him, asking to be touch by his brush with all the colours. He was not in mood to paint anything, instead he took the sketch book and a pencil then went back to the sofa. Ohno tried to recall the dream he had, as usual he could not remember anything from the dream only the sensual feeling remained. His hand brushed the sofa softly as he closed his eyes, he remembered they were sitting in the sofa together, or was it the man was sitting on top of him? His hands settled on Ohno shoulder, lips touching his skin.

Ohno could feel his heart swelling at the memory. His hand started forming line by line on the book, trying to get out a picture from the remaining fracture of his dream. The room they were at, the small body he had touch, every curve of it, the smooth feeling of it. But there was one thing that missing, the most important thing was not in his memory he could not remember the face. The man was trying to say something but was cut by the outcry. The more he tried to remember the face the more he lost the picture of his dream.

“Satoshi.”

He opened his eyes and found Sho’s face was close to him. He didn’t even realize that the latter had entered the room. And did he just call him Satoshi? Sho rarely called him by his given name, and when Sho did it that meant he wanted something or he was mad.

“Hhm?” Was all Satoshi could say, his mind still wandering. He tried to push the curious feeling to the back of his head for now.

“What were you thinking? Your forehead wrinkled a lot.”

“Nothing.” Ohno hands brushing Sho’s chubby cheek tenderly. Somehow he thought it was better not to tell Sho about what was going on in his brain. Sho pouted at his answer which only made him chuckled.

“Didn’t you say you want to go on picnic today?” He asked to distract Sho.

“Yeah, which is why I came here, you’re not even helping me prepare everything.”

“Prepare? Is there anything to be prepared?”

“Yeah of course there is, we’re not going on picnic without any food aren’t we?”

Ohno laughed softly at that. He stood up stretched his hand out to Sho who immediately caught it and pulled himself to get up from sofa.

“Let me help you then.” He said taking the latter out of the room, not before he peck his lips to make the pout disappeared.

Minutes later they walked on the street hand in hand with a basket full of their lunch on Ohno’s left hand. The older man happy that he didn’t have to worry that people would look at them judgingly. In fact no one care, all the better.

Ohno swept his eyes to his surrounding, two girls were walking with their dog leisurely, some people was queuing in front of a famous bakery with a cup of coffee in their hand. He made a note to buy some bread later. Ohno and Sho had to let go of each other hand when a man passed between them murmuring excuse me. The man was trying to catch the bus which stopped right at the post.

Then Ohno saw him, a man who was standing across the street quite far from his stand point but he could see him clearly wearing this blue t-shirt inside his jeans jacket. The man was looking at him with complicated facial expression, happy, relief and at the same time longing for, for him? The stranger mouthed something which he interpreted as, _Ohchan_.

It made Ohno shivered when he understood it. The word felt familiar he watched as the man made his way to him, walking in fast pace. He wasn’t sure how he felt. Was he happy? No, he wasn’t happy. He was afraid. People around them stopped and turned to look at the man who now smiling still walking to his direction. He stepped backwards unconsciously, his own heart clenched in the rib, his mind telling him that he didn’t want to meet this man. That was when a man crossed the road and caught the man, a girl from the shop not so far from him did the same and he watched as two other man getting out from their car to hold him too.

“Ohchan!”

The man shouted to him. Ohno was confused to what happened in front of him. People around him were trying to stop the man for reaching him, as if they were trying to protect him.

“Ohchan please tell them to stop.” The man was wriggling around, cursing at them, trying to push them away from him. But they were just too much, too strong for him.

Ohno was too stunned to move from his spot. Something from this man made him didn’t want to turned around and run, despite the sad feeling he got when he looked at the man.

“Shit! Ohchan please, it’s me Nino.”

Hearing his name made Ohno heart clenched painfully; the basket fell to the ground when his hand went to his chest to ease the pain. Someone walked past him and stood between him and the man, it was Sho. He was so focus to the man that he forgot Sho was with him. The blonde boy shielding him from the pleading eyes, from behind Ohno watched as Sho lifted up his hand and pointed it to the man who said his name was Nino. Then a loud noise was heard. What was it? A gunshot? Ohno was sure it was a gunshot. He was scared, his ears were ringing painfully and he didn’t even realize he already fell to his knees.

Sho turned around then squatted down in front of him.

“Niisan, are you okay?” Ohno looked up to Sho then his gaze went over his shoulder when the strange man supposed to be. But, no one was there, he disappeared just like that and everything had become normal again. The people resumed their activity back to normal as if nothing had happened at all.

“What the hell is happening?” Ohno asked confused.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Ohno has been in relationship for two years but there’s still a part of him that still hold onto his past. Just when he wanted to let it go, the past came back to haunt him._

The small man walked aimlessly on the footpath, hands on each of his pocket jean. He stopped in front of a small building which was an arcade. This place was his favorite, he used to visit it whenever he skipped class back in high school era. He and Ohno went to this arcade once on their date, the older man asked him to visit one of his favorite places. Part of his consultation assignment the painter said. The place was here, it meant Ohno still remembered it. He was happy when he realized it.

The arcade looked exactly like the last time he visited it. The background music of the game and some distinct shouting from boys could be heard from inside. He missed playing game, he had not played anything these past year. Not that he hated it, no way he could stop playing game. It just he didn’t have the desire to play it at the moment. His mind and his body were too occupied with another matter that he didn’t want to touch them at all. Nino was deep in his thought that he didn’t realize he was blocking the footpath, until a man bumped to him he was again aware of his surroundings.

“Damn Nino, it’s not the time to think about it.” He mumbled to himself.

There were not much people here, it was different from the one he went to for the first time, so how he could find the man. It was not the main road, not many cars passing by, on the footpath he was currently walking, there were some small shop, restaurant and café, while on the other side was occupied by some buildings which looked like apartments. Not so far in front of him there was a bakery, he noticed another familiar place where Ohno loved to buy his favorite French bread and there was a long queue in front of it, famous and crowded as usual. He watched as two girls walking towards him with their dogs while chatting to each other. He turned to look to his left side, there was a man in navy suit striding in hurry seems like he wanted to catch the bus to work. That was when he stopped walking, his eyes caught the sight of the man he was looking for.

There, across the road not so far from him, he saw Ohno walking with another boy? When the navy-suit man walked in between both of them, they broke apart. Ohno’s eyes met Nino’s. The older man was looking at him. He felt his heart skipped a bit, he was so glad to be able to find him rather easily.

“ _Ohchan._ ” He said to himself.

Didn’t waste any time —since his time was limited, Nino walked briskly to the other side of the road his eyes didn’t leave the older man at all. Ohno looked surprised when Nino smiled at him, his expression became different like confused, like he didn’t recognize the gamer. The confused face turned to frightened one when Nino was almost reached him. Then suddenly a guy appeared, stopped him to walk any further and grabbed the smaller man by arm. Nino was surprised but he twisted his hand to get out from the stranger grip. He just walked another steps when a girl came from nowhere and caught his right arm. He felt the previous man took his left arm again to hold him.

“Ohchan!”

Nino shouted to him. He tried to use any force he could to free himself but more people came to hold him. Ohno did nothing, only looked at him with the same confused expression.

 _People there would react according to his emotion so you need to be careful about it._ He remembered what Koichi had told him before he came. Ohno did look frightened when Nino almost reached him that was probably why these people trying to stop him.

Nino was so irritated, just a few steps and he could touch the older man. “Ohchan please tell them to let me go.” Just a few steps and he could pull the older man into hug until he was out of breath, he missed him so much. But there were too much people and they were stronger than him.

However, the man only stood there, not even moving an inch. Could it be the painter didn’t recognize him? But why? There was no reason to forget him right? It may be because it has been a long time but for Ohno to forget him just like that. No way, he refused to believe it.

“Shit! Ohchan please, it’s me Nino.” He said pleadingly. Hearing the name made the older man clutched his shirt tightly right at where his heart nestled. Nino didn’t miss the change in his face. Now he looked sad, afraid and sad. He was so focused to Ohno that he forgot about the boy who was accompanying the painter, the blonde boy was now standing between him and Ohno, effectively blocking Ohno from his sight. His eyes were cold and angry. Nino watched as he lifted his right hand towards him. _Wait, Is that a gun_? Nino’s eyes widened at the sight of it, the man was now holding a gun directed to him. It could not be a good sign. _He would not dare to shoot right?_ His mind telling him to get away from this boy. He vaguely heard a gunshot and a rush of pain in his chest before everything went black.

 

*****

“This will help you to meet again with Ohno-san, Ninomiya-san.” That morning, three days ago to be precise, Nino received a called from Matsumoto sensei telling him that they had something important to discuss. Nino told him that he would be there an hour later, he had to visit Ohno after all.

“Please, just call me Nino and if you don’t mind I will call you in less formal way also. I hate formality.” Even though the doctor arched his eyebrow to Nino, he nevertheless complied.

“Okay I don’t mind about it then please call me Koichi,” He did say in less formal but _first name_ was too… “like I said this technology will help you to meet again with Ohno-san and you can help him to come back to us.”

He waited a bit, looked at the young man expression but the latter said nothing only nod so he continued.

“But there will be a risk.” Koichi told him.

“I don’t mind.” He said nonchalantly, not bothered to ask what was the risk. All that he wanted was to meet Satoshi again and to get the man back, if this thing could do it who cares about the risk.

“When we can do it?” Nino asked.

“Anytime you ready.”

“I always ready sensei.”

The doctor nodded at him, he didn’t know whether the young looking man was too ignorant or desperate but he liked it.

“Shall we move to another room then? I already asked nurses to prepare it; Matsumoto Sensei and Aiba-sensei will be there as well.

 

*****

Nino woke up with a gasp.

“ _Shit!_ ” He breathed heavily, face filled with shock.

“Hey, Hey, Nino It’s okay.” Aiba immediately went to kneel beside him. Nino touched his chest, pressing it a bit to ease the unreal pain. “They were holding me.. and then.. then he shot me.” He blabbering.

“Look at me,” Aiba said in stern voice which successfully gained Nino attention. “You are okay, everything is okay.”

Nino took a deep breath then mumbled the same words to himself, vaguely realized that the nurse had pulled the needle out of his skin. He stood up, walked to the bathroom then slammed the door before urgently took out his totem from his pocket then wore it on his wrist. Feeling the round thing wrapped in his thin wrist brushing his pale skin, Nino touched the cold surface of the bracelet, felt the deep words that engraved on it _Belong to Satoshi_. After some time he was sure that it was no dream.

Today was the third times he connected to Ohno through his dream. Nino was more than eager to do the experiment, finally after months being shut off he would be able to meet his older boyfriend. The damn man who thought he had every rights to break their relationship just like that. When Nino had put everything he had to love him, the man just went to comatose. He would not let Ohno run away like this, not that he already promised the man for his eternal love.

“Let’s talk in another room.” Jun said when he came out from the bathroom. Nino nodded, looking at the sleeping figure briefly before following the doctors out of the room.

“What happened in there?” Domoto Koichi, the doctor in charge for the technology asked curiously. “Did you meet Ohno-san?”

They were sitting in the room right beside Ohno’s room. Aiba Masaki, Ohno’s psychiatrist was sitting beside him, while Domoto Koichi and Matsumoto Jun, the doctor in charge of Ohno was sitting across the table. Nino nodded silently.

“Then what happened?” Jun asked curiously.

“I was walking when I saw him across the road, he was walking with a boy hand in hand,” he frowned at the memory, felt slightly jealous of it. He looked at the two pairs of eyes before continue his story. “I was so excited that I immediately crossed the road to meet him, just a little bit then I could hold him but then some people came to stop me.”

“His subconscious.” Koichi commented. Nino made an affirmative sound.

“Did you do something harmful?” Jun asked.

“I was only walking towards him, it’s not like I was trying to attack him or something.” He remembered Ohno’s confused and frightened expression back then.

“Then why?”

“I don’t know, he looked surprise when he saw me, it’s like he didn’t recognize me at all. When I almost reached him he even looked frightened.”

“That was when they hold you down. They were reacting to his insecure emotion.” Koichi noted.

“You said that he didn’t recognize you.” Aiba who was silent until now finally talked.

“I think he didn’t, else there’s no way he freaked out like that.”

“Most likely his mind does not register the information into his subconscious.” Koichi told them.

“Especially if in his conscious state he made the attempt to forget about a certain thing in this case it’s you.” Aiba continued.

“Is there something we can do to made Ohno-san remember him?” Jun asked.

“Nino can do it, he can trigger Ohno-san’s memory about him, about theirs.” Koichi stressed the two last words, looking at Nino meaningfully.

“We can do that in next session.” Jun said with a casual nod.

“You have to find out the reason what keeping him to wake up.” Ohno condition had become stable after five weeks hospitalized, a year had passed but the man hadn’t regain consciousness at all.

“I will, definitely.” He said confidently.

“You wake up before the initial time and in such way, did something happen?” Koichi asked again.

“I was shot by a boy.”

“A boy?” Aiba asked.

The smaller man nodded. “Ohchan was walking with a boy, but I didn’t pay attention to him until he moved between us then pointed the gun to me.”

“Another subconscious.”

“I’m not sure.” Nino tilted his head, feeling the boy is more than normal subconscious.

“What do you mean?”

“He looked different, not like the other subconscious.” Nino remembered the way the boy looked at him with cold eyes.

 

*****

“Here.” Aiba put down a cup of coffee in front of him. They decide to call a day for today’s session and now both Aiba and Nino were sitting in almost empty cafeteria, lunch break had over after all.

“Thanks.”

“How is he?”

“Not much change,” Nino let out a deep sigh. “He looked happy there.” It irritated him that Ohno looked happy there while he was miserably waiting for him to wake up.

“How do you feel when you were there? In Ohno’s mind.”

“Does it count as a session? If yes, sorry I don’t want to pay any bill for it.”

Aiba chuckled at him. This guy was sure stingy but Aiba glad that Nino still had the humorous or more likely _sarcasm_. Nino had been so quiet the past days, no snarky remarks or what so ever. Even when Masaki was trying again and again to ask Nino spent his free time to hang out together, he would rather sit beside Ohno waiting for him to wake up. Working as a programmer made his time more flexible thus he had enough free time to spare. Besides lately the programmer had no project to work on, and yet he had not touched his games at all.

“It’s not a session, I’m asking this as your best friend, so rest assure there’s no bill for it.”

Nino let out another sigh, setting down his cup before talking. “I’m not sure about it Masaki, it felt strange, at first you won’t even realize that it was a dream. I saw some familiar places there and somehow I was happy to see the arcade once we went together for your assignment was there.”

Nino stopped to sip his coffee, looked at it thoughtfully before continue in sad voice.

“Then I saw him yet he didn’t remember me at all, he was even afraid when I tried to get closer.”

“I’m sure he will remember you the next time you meet.”

“I’ll make him remember me no matter what.” Nino said with determined.

“Did it work before, this technology?” Nino had never asked about it before, just immediately agreed with the idea, not so him to go along with something without checking about the fact. But once again it was about Ohno, Nino would do anything for the older man.

“It did, even thought it need a long time before the patient wake up.”

“How long?”

“About three months.”

“That long?” Nino cringed, he didn’t want to wait another months, he had to find the answer soon.

“It all depends on the patient and the partner.” Aiba told him.  
  
“Kazu?”

“Good evening okaasan.”

Rather than went back to his own apartment, Nino drove back to Ohno’s mother place which about 45 minutes from their shared apartments. He didn’t want to be alone tonight and Ohno’s mother is the only place who could make him feel at home in this situation.

Ohno’s mother told him to get in the house then went to the kitchen to bring him back a cup of tea. Nino silently drank his tea, savoring the warmness of it calming his nerves, made him more relax, especially when Ohno’s mother softly running her small warm hand on his back. As in trying to give him more warm.

“Okaasan,”

“Nino you are so skinny,” He was cut. “Satoshi will get mad at me if he knew you didn’t eat properly. Come let’s eat first before we talk.”

“I’m no—“

“No, don’t you dare say you’re not hungry.” The much older woman cut his words again, already knew what his future son in law would say in this kind of situation.

And Nino could not refuse, this was the reason why he came here, being with Ohno’s mother made him felt like he was with the older man himself. They were alike, sleepy eyes, kind and warm. The woman always treated Nino as his own son, even scolded Ohno if the older man didn’t take care of him nicely. While actually, it was Nino who always wanted to take care of Ohno.

They sat together in the dining room, Ohno’s mother busy offered him the food she had cooked for the day. Nino ate them full heartedly, thought that he needed it after all just to make sure he had enough energy to face Ohno the next time they met.

After dinner he helped his future mother in law washing the dishes and then they once again settled comfortably in the living room.

“Did something happen?” The woman asked. Her expression was calm even though Nino could see her eyes were tired and worried reflected on them. Her warm small hand was enveloping Nino’s flabby cold one, softly patted him.

“I met him today.” Nino told her. Her face lit up a bit, now she was getting curious.

“Then?”

“I met him yet he didn’t remember me, ‘kaasan.”

Nino could feel his eyes became warm, tears threatened to spill but he fought it. Not wanted to cry in front of her now.

“The doctor said it’s probably because he doesn’t want to remember me.”

Well that wasn’t exactly what Koichi told him, but Nino understood it as it was.

“It must be temporary there’s no way Satoshi forget about you.”

Nino chuckled bitterly.

“How come you so sure about it?”

“Because I knew how much he cherishes you,” She told him, her hold on his hand tightened. “even thought he didn’t show it to you. That’s just how he is. “

Nino was silent.

“When he brought you here for the first time, I was unconvinced about you, about your relationship.”

Nino remembered when the first time he met Ohno’s mother, the woman always had a disapproved look in her face. “I was afraid that it would not work and it would only hurt Satoshi more.”

“But I was wrong you were so patient and so caring to him, even thought he keeps you in the dark about his situation but you stay with him.”

She softly wiped away the tears that finally slipped from his eyes.

“You saved him Kazu, he has been in turmoil for too long. Then you come and offer him love.”

“Okaasan.”

“He hasn’t told you about it right? About the reason why he was so restless this whole time. What has haunted him for years until now.”

He shook his head as the answer.

“You deserve to know about it.”

She stood up then went to one of the rooms, just to come back minutes after with a book on her hand, a photo album.

“It is Satoshi’s photos from his high school era.” She showed him a certain photo in the album.

Nino eyes widened at the picture.

“Who is he?” Nino sure his voice was quivering.

“He was Satoshi’s childhood friend, my best friend’s son”

Could it be, this person was the reason?

“I.. I saw him today. He was with Ohchan when I met him.”

The next words he heard confirmed his thought.

“He was in relationship with Satoshi. Sho was Satoshi first love.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Ohno has been in relationship for two years but there’s still a part of him that still hold onto his past. Just when he wanted to let it go, the past came back to haunt him._

It was already 10 o’clock when Aiba finished his report; he stretched a bit to relieve the muscles fatigue. Today he had full meeting schedule with some patient and one and half hour session with Matsumoto-sensei and Koichi-sensei regarding the experiment.

He heard knock at the door before it was opened, presenting the younger doctor who in charge of Ohno Satoshi.

“Have you done?” Matsumoto-sensei,—or rather _Jun_ walked into the room with what supposed to be their late dinner, giving a peck to Aiba before settled down in the sofa to prepare their food.

“Just done.” Aiba fixed up his report, making sure each of them placed in the right folder before joining his lover. “You have night shift today right?”

“Yes, unfortunately, just when I want to have a perfect night with my boyfriend.” Jun said, rolling his eyes playfully which earned him a chuckle from Aiba and another kiss on his cheek.

“How is Ohno-san?” Aiba asked as Jun went to took two glass of water from the small counter in his room.

“His condition is stable not much progress so far.” Jun told him.

“Do you think this will work?” Aiba asked.

“It will, we will do anything we can to help Nino, that’s our job after all.”

“I’m just worried. It was difficult to reach him before, it’s like he shut his mind to the outside.”

“But not today, finally Nino can reach him even though there is a problem. I believe Nino will be able to reach Ohno next time they meet.” Jun noticed the worried look on the taller man face.

“Remember that they have succeeded with the previous case. So this one will too, we have to be optimist for our patient.”

After having dinner and a short talk with Jun, they agreed to set aside their desire for now; Aiba was still concerned with Ohno and Nino situation. Jun understood it perfectly, he knew because Aiba and Nino was best friend even before Jun and Aiba met each other.

The physiatrist had prepared to leave for home but when he about to enter the elevator he turned around and decided to give Ohno a visit. The man had been one of his patients for almost two year; he was a painter, a famous one. Aiba was invited to one of his exhibition before, as a friend not as a physiatrist and even he had zero understanding about arts, he was amazed by Ohno’s paintings. They were certainly magnificent, beautiful but also there was something bitter about them.

He was happy when he knew that Nino and Ohno were together. Well not just happy but also surprise, he even had a slight doubt that it would work. Normally Aiba would not have doubt for anything, especially for something called love. But he knew Nino for a long time, they had become friend since high school, ah no, earlier than that. He knew the guy had problem with trust because what happened to him and his mother and Ohno had this past scar that he could not let go.

“Hi Ohchan.” He said sitting beside the bed. “If Nino heard I called you Ohchan he will be very angry.” Aiba chuckled at his though. Nino did claim that it was his special name for Ohno, he was the only one who could call Ohno like that.

There was a small monitor besides his bed. Some of the thin cables were connected to Ohno’s head, projecting his brain activity in orange line. The line was moving in a small steady wave.

“Ohno-san, let’s have chat tonight.” He said in small voice, as if afraid that he would disturb the man in his sleep.

“Today Nino went to meet you right. He was nervous, today was our third attempt to connect to you. You are being difficult, aren’t you?” He said accusingly.

“Unfortunately you didn’t remember him when you met. I hope the next time you met you will remember everything about Nino.”

“Ah should I remind you a bit about your relationship?”

Some medium waved occurred before back to the smaller one. Aiba smiled to himself, took it as ‘yes’ from the man.

“Remember when we promised to go fishing together? That was when I dragged him along with me. He was complaining a lot but still came along. He owned me something after all.”

“You were shy when the first time you met Nino and looked not so comfortable. Somehow I felt bad for bringing Nino along with me.”

“But after some time both of you managed to have a small talk. You even help him when he got seasick, he actually hates being in boat but he just too kind to reject my invitation. I never see you outside before, since we only met for consultation and you never told me your relationship with anyone except for your mother.”

“Nino was not the type who likes to approach another people for a chat or being friendly to them. When I saw your interaction with him, the way you treated Nino and how he acted around you, I’m afraid that he already put interest in you. That guy practically like something or someone cute, and you are _cute_. I bet you already know that by now.”

“In our next meeting for consultation was when you comeback from business trip. You started talking about Nino said that you met him in your exhibition. He even asked you out for dinner and you agreed to him.”

_”How do you feel about it?”_

_“It made me nervous.” Ohno told him. “It’s been a long time since I have dinner with other person and Ninomiya-san was quite chatty.”_

_Aiba nodded at him while scribbling something on his book._

_“So did you enjoy it?”_

_Ohno was silent, pondering on the matter._

_“Yes.” He replied hesitantly. “I think so.”_

“I actually told Nino not to bother you too much, but despite my warning he eventually asked you for another accompany right?”

“You may be not realize it, but in 6 meetings we had after you got to know Nino, you have stopped talk about your nightmare or your guilty feeling.”

“Instead you keep talking about Nino, you even dropped the formality by calling him simply _Nino_ ”

_“He confessed to me.”_

_Aiba was thrown._

_“Sorry?”_

_“Nino confessed to me two days ago and I accepted his feeling.”_

_Aiba didn’t see it’s coming, even though Nino had been telling him about his relationship with Ohno so far. He never thought that Nino would make this far. He felt betrayed._

_“Why did you accept it Ohno-san, did you have feeling toward Nino?”_

_“Did you ask it as his friend or as my physiatrist?”_

_Aiba smiled at the question._

_“Both Ohno-san, he’s my best-friend and you are my favorite patient.” Aiba replied smiling._

“I scolded him after that,” Aiba chuckled. “I was sad that he didn’t tell me about the confession plan.”

“After that I slept over at his place then we had friendly-chat until midnight. We talked about you, I told him, –not the entirely of course but implicitly, about what you’ve been fighting for these past year.”

“After hearing all of that he was silent, I wondering whether he regretted it. Do you know what he said to me?”

_”It doesn’t matter, I’m helplessly in love with him Masaki.”_

_Aiba never saw Nino with this kind expression, he was so love struck._

_“I want to help him fight whatever prevents him to be happy. I want to be the reason why he is happy from now.”_

“You said you were not sure about your feeling towards him, but being with Nino make you feel lighter, made you feel relax.”

“I’m happy when you stop contacting me for quite a long time, but we still managed to meet up for a simple dinner at Nino’s place. We even went double date with me and Jun. You were so happy and carefree. So did Nino.”

“Then everything turned wrong, Nino said that you looked stress out. But you didn’t even talk to me about anything. Not even when Nino tried to talk to you out of it.”

Aiba carefully took Ohno’s cold hand, wrapping it gently around his warm one.

“I hope you will wake up soon. I miss our bratty Nino, he become quieter, he hasn’t touched any of his game and we missed you so much. I want to see your painting again, so did your fans.”

The room became silent again only sound of the heart monitor could be heard and Ohno’s soft breathing.

“What are you doing now Ohno-san?” He asked curiously, watching as the line made another changed.

“Are you fishing?”

A sharp single increment in the line, probably Ohno was trying to saying something to him.

“Does he with you right now, Ohno-san?”

Aiba watched as the monitor with the orange line showed that Ohno’s brain was more active than before. The wave increased higher than before and the interval was pretty close.

“You’ve been together with him since the first time, haven’t you?

The line increased rapidly, moving in different interval and different length.

“I know the boy mean so much to you, but now you have Nino and he loves you so much.”

Another silent filled with the room, the line became steady, so did Ohno’s breathing. Then suddenly one of the monitor beeping loudly, Aiba watched in shock as the heart monitor showed that Ohno heart rate, had gone down to 46, which was not a good sign.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Ohno has been in relationship for two years but there’s still a part of him that still hold onto his past. Just when he wanted to let it go, the past came back to haunt him._

“Please let me connected to him.”

Nino asked desperately. Ohno’s condition had dropped for the past hours. Nino was so afraid when they called him. He immediately fled from Ohno’s home to hospital. 

“We can’t do it Nino. His heart rate is not stable now.” Jun told him. “And his brainwave is getting weaker.”

“But.., but he’s still breathing.” Nino looked at the unconscious man. It felt like déjà vu. One year ago he was called for the same reason that Ohno was in accident and in critical condition at the hospital. 

“Look.” Aiba was standing on the other side of the bed, holding onto Ohno’s hand. 

They watched as Ohno’s finger moved in quick short motion. There was a hope after all the man still gave response. 

“He probably wants to tell us something,” Aiba tried to reason to Jun. “Didn’t you say we will do anything we could.”

“You should know it better than me Masaki.” Jun told him. Throwing a look to Nino, the latter was looking at Ohno worriedly, holding his free hand while murmuring something to him. 

“It’s too risky for you.” Koichi just arrived, one of the nurse handed him a short report of Ohno’s condition at the moment. 

“What is the risk?” Nino looked at the doctors, determined to do anything for Ohno. He was afraid but losing Ohno was scarier than anything for him. 

“You could be trapped with him in his unconscious state.”

The room was silent except the sound of the heart monitor.

“It means if Ohno-san doesn’t regain consciousness and if his brain activity stopped. You won’t be able to wake up, ever.”

  
Jun persist that they should wait until Ohno’s condition got better than now, because he didn’t want something bad happened to Ohno and certainly not to Nino. But what if Ohno didn’t get better, what if Ohno’s condition getting worse before he had the chance to meet him again. 

Nino sat alone and irritably in the cafeteria, the coffee Aiba had bought for him was left cold. The psychiatrist had been told to leave the younger man by himself for now. Nino was anxious beyond words, afraid that Ohno would slip away from his reach again. 

“Ninomiya-san.” Nino clicked his tongue at the mention of his name. _Didn’t I say drop the formality._

“I understand you are upset that we can’t let you connect to Ohno-san.” Koichi said thoughtfully sitting across the shorter man. “I will be angry if someone prevents me to do it for someone I hold dearly.”

“Then don’t!” Nino spat at him. “Let me connected to him already.”

“Matsumoto-sensei thought it doesn’t safe to let you to do it now.”

“But Ohchan is –“

“It’s not Ohno-san.” Koichi said, effectively cut his words. “It is you that made us concern.”

“What?” Nino clearly didn’t understand what made they thought he couldn’t do it.

“You are too restless Nino.”

Koichi pointed out, back to the informality way of calling his name. 

“You’ve been edgy since you arrived.”

“How come I am not, Jun said that Ohchan is getting weaker.”

“Then if you want to meet Ohno-san again, you have to be calm. In your state right now something bad bound to happened. If you can’t control yourself and your emotion, you won’t be able discern anything better in there.”

Nino rubbed his face tiredly, pressing his forehead to the table. _Breath Nino._ He said to himself. _Be calm for Ohchan._

“Koichi-san,” The doctor raised an eyebrow at the suffix _-san_. “Masaki said that the previous experiment was success.” 

“Yes, it did. It was not easy though.” Koichi told him. “Need more than 15 sessions before it succeed.” 

“Did the previous patient tell you how they could convince the partner to wake up?” Nino asked.

“It is my patient confidentiality.”

“How I supposed to know the exact way to wake him up then?”

“Didn’t I tell you, find the reason why he is confined in his unconsciousness then convince him that it is not like what he think.”

“It will not be easy to convince him.”

“Do you love Ohno-san?”

“I do love him. I won’t be here otherwise I can just ignore him and continue my life.”

“How much do you love him?”

“It’s just too much that I can’t tell it anymore. Too much that now I’m afraid I won’t survive if I lose him.”

“Then it’s enough. Show him, made him remembered how much you love him before, and it doesn’t change at all, even until now.”

*****

_”Ninomiya Kazunari, nice to meet you.” The man bowed politely to him._

_“Ohno Satoshi.” He said._

_“I hope it is okay to bring my friend with us Ohno-san.”_

_Need more seconds before Ohno could reply to the subtle question. “Yeah sure, I don’t mind Aiba-san.” He felt a strange feeling for the man he just knew._

_The man was a bit shorter than him, with pale skin and thin lip._

Ohno sat in the middle of darkness, the only one light come from the moving image in front of him. It was like watching a movie.

_”Here take this. It will help to reduce you nausea.” Ohno gave the man a bottle of water and the seasick medicine he always brought along._

_“Thank you.” Nino murmured before swallowed the medicine._

_Ohno watched the side profile of the man beside him. A cute button nose and the man had small mole on his right chin._

_“I must be look pathetic, still coming along despite always has a seasick.” He said looking at Ohno, for a good 6 seconds their eyes met each other._

_In that short time Ohno noticed the man had light brown iris. It was beautiful._

_“Not you’re not.” He said. “You are kind.”_

The image started to fade away, just when the room almost got totally dark, another images appeared on his left.

_”Ohno-san, I like you,” The man was fidgeting on his seat. “I mean like, not a like for a friend but,” He was troubled for words. Ohno saw it and it made him felt nervous as well. “I love you Ohno-san”_

_“Why? Why me?” Ohno was taken aback by his confession._

_“Because you’re _cute_.” The man answered nonchalantly. “wait, it’s not just that. It’s difficult to explain. The more time I spend with you, the more I want to be close to you, I don’t want to be merely a friend, I want to be more than that Ohno-san.”_

_“I might not be able give you what you want. I’m impaired.”_

_“No, you’re not..” He said gently. “You’re prefect, perfect but lost. I hope, no, I would like to be the one who find you and guide you back.”_

Ohno remembered the moment. He was nervous and happy. After a long time, he never thought that someone would actually confess to him again, to be told that he was loved. Ohno had stopped thinking about love but Nino made something in him flickered. 

_”Ohchan, are you sure?”_

_He nodded._

_“Let’s live together.” He said again._

_“I’m not an easy person to live with.”_

_“So do I, I’m probably the most difficult one between the two of us.”_

_He moved closer to the man, taking his hand then kissed it softly._

_“Because I’m egoist, I probably will ignore you when I’m painting, falling asleep in the middle of our talk, I’m messy, I’m—._

_“It’s okay.” Nino cut him. ”I also want to wake up every morning next to you.”_

_“So it’s a yes.”_

_“Stupid, it means yes old man.”_

Ohno lips tugged a bit as he watched as the small man jumped to him with wide smile on his face. He was overjoyed by his offer. Another image appeared as the third stopped.

They were Ohno’s memories, the good memories that he suppressed because the man thought he didn’t deserve them. The memories were spread around him now, playing a lot of different image of him and Nino— his _Kazunari_.

On his left was an image of the younger man who was sleeping peacefully beside him, Ohno was laying beside him, watching him closely. His pale thin lips formed a straight line, Ohno watched as his hand moved to touch the pale skin softly, from his forehead to his chin. The man stirred at his touch but still asleep. 

_”Ohchan.” They were in aquarium, Nino stood close to him looking at his surrounding warily. It was quite crowded. “I’m afraid, what if the glass break.”_

_“It won’t.” He knocked at the glass as the proof._

_Nino glared at him while Ohno only laughed._

_“You’re cute Nino.”_

He felt strangely warm, listening to his self laughing like that. How long had it since he could laugh freely? He certainly could not do it before, not until Nino came and made his somber life became colorful. 

Nino was there on his first relapse after they were together. He was ready to left everything behind, to forget it then enjoying his life with Nino’s accompany. But he couldn’t, the nightmare came back again and again after that. It made him hate himself more then slowly he was shut off from Nino. 

“Why niisan?”

All the image was instantly gone, replaced by Sho’s reflection. Ohno was pulled from the room out through the door to the sight of a vast amount of water, the sea. They were standing on the top of a cliff where thousand drops of water fell endlessly from the grey sky. 

“You are lying niisan.” Sho said to him. The boy was standing closer to the edge of the cliff, his soaked back facing Ohno. 

“You said that you want me to stay with you. But you just keep thinking about another person.”

“Sho.” Ohno called him. His voice was shaking because of the pouring rain.

“You want to leave me, you want to forget about me.” Sho turned and shouted angrily at him.

“I.. “

“How could you?” 

Sho walked closer to him, wrapped his hands around Ohno’s neck in a tight grip.

*****

“Ohchan!”

Nino was shocked when he saw Ohno was choked by Sho. “Stay away from him!” He warned the boy. 

Sho immediately stepped back, letting Ohno fell to the ground frantically searching for oxygen. The next moment he was gone. Ohno was soaked to the bone, and the rain kept pouring on them. Nino looked around then spotted a small house not far from their place. He helped Ohno rose up then walking to the closest shelter. It was a small house with an old fireplace, it was already lit up when they entered the place. Nino brought Ohno to sit on one of the armchair close to the fire and put a blanket on his shivered body. 

“Nino,” Ohno called him softly. “Nino, you come back.”

“You remember now?” It took Nino by surprise, the older man looked at him with longing eyes. “I come back, I will always find you, remember?”

Ohno nodded. “I’m sorry Nino.”

Nino shook his head, it doesn’t matter that Ohno forgot him once. Now Nino could finally meet him and talk to him. But he did the first thing that came to his mind after a long time hadn’t seen the older man. He kissed him. Nino leaned to capture the man cold lips, covered it perfectly with his cold one. It was dream, yet Ohno’s lips felt perfect on his. It was a dream yet he could feel his heart beating rapidly. It was a dream yet slowly he felt warm.

“It’s okay Ohchan. Oh my God, Ohchan I miss you so much.” 

“No, it’s not okay. I hurt you. Even after everything you gave to me. After the love you gave to me. I just could not give it back to you. I can’t stop thinking about Sho. He was.. “

“He was your first love right?” Nino cut him.

“How do you know?” Ohchan asked in surprised. He was sure he hadn’t told anything to Nino about it.

“Okaasan told me everything. It’s okay Ohchan, it’s okay if you can’t forget him as long as we can stay together, I will help you to overcome it.”

“No you can’t.”

“You never know if we don’t try it.”

“I already try it. Because you were with me, because all the love you gave me I thought I could forget about Sho, I thought I could overcome it. But the guilty feeling couldn’t go away.”

“I was the reason why he died Nino.” Ohno said bitterly.

“No, no Ohchan. It was an accident. It’s not your fault.”

“No you don’t understand, I supposed to go out with him that day but I was so stupid, I was so egoist. I let him go by himself instead of accompany him like my promised. I decided that my painting was more important than him.”

“Sho always understood me. He never blamed me for any self-centered thing I did and then he died, he died because again I couldn’t stop myself from being a jerk.”

“We’ve been together for a very long time, I thought that he meant to be with me for the rest of my life. I was wasting him. I was a jerk Nino.”

“But you learnt and you changed Ohchan. I know it, you deserve a second change. And I believe that our meeting is a second change for you.”

“Ohchan let’s get out from here okay, let’s wake up. Your body is currently lying in hospital bed, you are in comma right now. You were in accident year ago and you haven’t wake up until now.” He told the older man.

Ohno let Nino pulled him to his feet then they went out. The rain had stopped and the sea had vanished replied by a sight of a city. This time Ohno took Nino’s hand tugged him to walk. 

“Where are we?”

“This is my hometown.” Ohno said looking at his surroundings. Yeah it was certainly his hometown, he recognized the old police box on the right side of the small road.

“Nino, What if I can’t wake up?”

“You will, we will find way to go back okay.”

“I have to stay here, Sho is here.”

“He’s not real Ohchan! Nothing in here is real.”

“So do you. You are not real too right.”

“My feeling for you is real. I love you _Satoshi_.”

“You said that you want to start form new again and you want to do it with me.” Nino tried to convince him.

“I promised you, remember.” The younger man said.

“That you will find me.. no matter where I go.” Ohno remembered the words.

“Then I will take you back with me. We will go back together to our home, our future.” Nino continued Ohno’s words. It was the words that Nino kept telling him every time he felt lost.

“When I tried to forget sho he was so angry. He hates me, he said that he won’t let me go away easily.”

“It’s not him. Sho won’t think like that.”

“You don’t know him.”

“I don’t know him, but I know he loves you. And if he did, he won’t chain you like now. You said that he was kind then I’m sure he wants you to be happy Ohchan”

“You don’t have to forgot, he is a part of you, and if not because of him I won’t meet you. You have to accept that he is not with us anymore. But you will remember him as a good memory. We can visit him every year.”

“Let’s get out from here and return home.” 

They walked again, looking for a way to get out from there. None of them knew exactly how to get out from there, should they find a door? A tunnel? A hole? Should Nino let Ohno walked through it alone or went with him. 

They kept walking, because standing still wasn’t a choice. They reached a vast old warehouse, Nino looked at Ohno before they decided to go in there. As if they were attracted to the place.

“You can’t go anywhere.”

They stopped.

“Sho.” Ohno voice was barely a whisper.

Nino instantly moved to shield Ohno from Sho but to his horror the man was shoved away by a strong force. “Ohchan!” Nino shouted as he saw his body landing abruptly on the solid ground in other side of Nino and Sho. The older man writhed in pain.

“Don’t think just because you don’t want to stay here I will let you go away.”

Nino ran to Ohno, just when he about to reach him the other man was shoved again to another wall. Sho was walking towards Ohno now, with a gun on his hand.

“You lie to me.” Sho said angrily. “Then you want to leave me. You are going to forget me like that.”

Ohno was already heaved in the middle of air, he was in agony for being throwing out like a lifeless thing.

“Stop! Stop it Sakurai-san.”

The man turned to him, his face showed that he was clearly enraged. Ohno was dropped in the ground

“He has been suffering a lot for your death these past years. Never once he forgot about you, so please, please let him go.” Nino begged eyes full of tears.

The boy inched closer to Nino, eyes locked at him. Just like the first time they met, now the boy was pointing his gun at him. 

“Satoshi will stay with me.”

Nino was prepared to be shot, thought that this would be the end, and then he heard the gun was fired. Nino clearly heard a gunshot in that vast room but not like the first time, he didn’t feel any pain not even experienced a blackout. 

He opened his eyes to see Sho fell to the ground as Ohno pointed a gun to the boy. The older man was still laying in the floor half of his body was paralyzed. Nino pulled himself out of shocked to meet Ohno on the other side.

“Ohchan!” 

The man was wincing in pain. “Nino, are you okay?”

“I am okay, I am okay.” He said reassuringly, it hurt him that the man was worried at him despite his rough condition. “Why did you shoot him?”

“You’re right.” He said in short breath. “He’s not Sho,” Ohno was panting. “Sho would never harm other person.”

Then Nino eyes widened in shock when he saw Ohno was bleeding.

“You are bleeding Ohchan, _shit_ you are bleeding.”

“I am okay Nino.”

“You’re not okay stupid.”

“Ohchan you have to wake up okay?” Nino told him, got a strong feeling about how to wake the unconscious man from here. 

“How can I?”

“Listen to me, listen to my voice, I will guide you out from here okay.”

Nino took the gun from Ohno then shot himself.

*****

He awoke to the sound of a single and long beeping. Nino got up right away from his bed and went to Ohno’s side.

“Ohchan! Ohchan listen to me, listen to my voice.”

The steady beeping voice annoyed him but Nino ignored it. Despite all the voices in the room who tried to stop him, he kept talking to Ohno.

“Ohchan please listen to my voice I begged you!”

Jun told him to stop but Nino was stubborn. Aiba said the same thing tried to pry him off from Ohno’s side, but he refused. He promised the man that he would guide him out of there, to come back to him so that they could be together again. 

“Ohchan listen to me and follow my voice.” He said to Ohno close to his ear, wished that the older man would be able to hear him clearly.

He got no response, Ohno’s eyes were still closed tightly and the annoying sound would not stop.

“Ohchan don’t you dare to leave me! You promise to me!”

The long straight ringing didn’t change at all. He felt someone pulled his arm, took him away from the bed, from the now pale face.

“Satoshi please, I love you, I love you so much. Please come back.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Ohno has been in relationship for two years but there’s still a part of him that still hold onto his past. Just when he wanted to let it go, the past came back to haunt him._

”Good Morning Ninomiya-san” One of the nurses greeted him with a smile. “You are early today.”

“Yeah,” He was still felt uneasy. “I need to take care of something.” He explained shortly.

He was walking to the administration center when he saw Aiba walking to him from the opposite side, right from the administration center itself.

“I already take care of the form.” He said when they met. “I figure out you definitely hate it.”

“You know me so well.” Nino offered him a smile which earned him another one.

“So are you ready?” Aiba asked him. Nino’s face was sure showed how nervous he was, if he was not, Aiba would not pat Nino’s back for a comfort. “They already waiting, come on.”

Everything had ended, he didn’t need to come back to this hospital again after this. No needed to smell the awful medicine or listened to any annoying beeping sound. It irritated him now.

“You just need to drink it regularly for the next two weeks.” He heard Jun’s voice from inside the room. “Contact me immediately if you feel unwell.”

He was standing in front Ohno’s room and there was another person standing outside. Nino didn’t know him, but the long haired guy smiled then bowed politely to him then to Aiba.

Nino went in, leaving Aiba talked to the unknown man who still standing outside.

“You should tell Nino about it, he is more capable with something like this better than me.” Another soft voice was talking to Jun. Nino recognized perfectly this voice, he had missed it so much.

“Don’t worry I just need to read the awful handwriting prescription right.” Nino cut in jokingly. “I will make sure he takes them as what was written on it.” The three men turned to look at him. Aiba —who already entered the room and Koichi were laughing while Jun glared at him.

“Don’t you dare call me in the middle of the night if something happened.” Jun threatened.

It had been three days since Ohno regained his consciousness and today he was finally discharged. Now they could for real starting a new life. A life without Ohno had to worry about his past, Nino was more than happy about it.

“Then I have to go.” Koichi excused himself.

“He’s been waiting for you.” Aiba said with a smile, looked at the long hair man who now sitting outside.

“Give my greeting to Tsuyoshi-san.” Jun said.

“Sure.” Koichi smiled shyly at them. Nino thought that this was the first time he saw the uptight man smiling in that way. “Then hope you can recovery well Ohno-san.”

“Thank you Koichi-sensei.” Ohno replied.

They watched as the doctor went out, the man from before immediately stood to meet him halfway, smiling sweetly to him. Nino watched both of the man walked together before bowed briefly to them.

“I never got the chance to ask him, but why you and the nurses call him simply by first name?” Nino had to ask.

“Remember when I said they succeeded in the previous experiment.”

Nino nodded at Aiba.

“Koichi was the first one who did it.”

It surprised Nino. “Then the man with the long hair.”

“He was the patient.” Jun added. “Domoto Tsuyoshi.”

“Eh?” Both Ohno and Nino exclaimed.

“That’s why Koichi prefers to be called by his given name, so Tsuyoshi won’t mistake it as him.”

“They are sibling?” Nino asked curiously.

“No, they’re not.” Jun replied.

“They are lover.” Aiba added, giggling to himself.

_Lover_ the same as him and Ohno. That was why the doctor was confident with the experiment and that was why Koichi told Nino that as long as he loved Ohno, everything would turn out to be okay.

Nino looked at his side, Ohno had took his hand and entwined it with the painter’s hand. Nino leaned to drop a kiss on Ohno’s lips, ignoring the grunt from the doctor in charge for his boyfriend. Vaguely heard Jun said _can’t you wait you until arrived at home?_. After what happened Nino was getting bolder in expressing his love towards Ohno, much to the painter pleasure. Aiba had already taken Jun out of the room silently, wanted to give a short time to both of them.

“I have something for you.” Nino said. He pulled out a small flat box from his pocket then offered it to Ohno. The latter took the box curiously, tilting his head in question to the younger man.

“It’s a gift. I should have given it to you years ago, but I couldn’t. So I want to give it now, as your discharge-little-present.”

Ohno’s eyes twinkling in excitement when he saw the content of the box, it’s a silver bracelet. The older man took it out to examine it. The bracelet had a beautiful pattern carved on it.

“Oh.” Ohno exclaimed. Looking at Nino fondly, just like Nino’s there were words carving into it _Belong to Kazunari_.

Ohno could not hold a chuckle. “My, so possessive.” He said. “I feel like a pet.”

Nino pouted in difference. “You should be happy it’s not a collar,” He said. “Because I definitely don’t want to use a collar.” Nino showed his left hand with the same bracelet circled on it.

Ohno looked the twin bracelet on Nino’s wrist, he took Nino’s hand then carefully pulled out the bracelet. Nino watched him puzzlingly but let him do it. The painter then handed his own bracelet to Nino.

“Put it on my wrist.” He said. A smile formed on Nino lips when he understood what the man wanted to do. _God Ohchan, you are just so cute_ Nino thought to himself.

“What? Are we married each other now?” He asked playfully.

“If it’s you then I don’t mind.” Ohno answered eagerly extending his right hand to Nino, which the latter took carefully before slipping the bracelet slowly around it. Ohno did the same to Nino, slipping it as Nino’s face made a content expression. He was blushed and his eyes glowing in happiness.

Ohno took Nino’s hand closer to him and kissed it lovingly then letting Nino do the same to him.

“Congratulations for the wedding.” A voice said. They both turned to find Aiba and Jun was watching from the door frame. Aiba looked teary but his lips formed a wide smile, while Jun was watching them silently but also looked happy.

Nino was too elated to give a protest, that it was not a wedding, not yet, so he let it slipped for now. Giving another quick kiss to Ohno before asked him. “Are you ready?”

“I’ve never felt this ready before.” He said, taking Nino’s hand.

“Le’t go home then.”

 

~THE END~


End file.
